Strike plate



1968 R. A. ROSENBERGER 3,395,935

STRIKE PLATE Filed March 7, 1967 A :4 f l 19 17 27 G F/ G. 2

2 Z2 2% Z2 Z1 21 20 11 J5 fig --25 F/ a. 4 A5 INVENTOR RAY/Mama ,4. Rosa/amen ATTORNEY United States PatentO 3,395,935 STRIKE PLATE Raymond A. Rosenberger, 53 W. Colorado St.,

St. Paul, Minn. 55107 s Filed Mar. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 625,906

3 Claims. (Cl. 292-34113) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention consists of a strike plate having a curved or flanged lip along one edge. The plate includes an intermediate aperture for accommodating the end of the latch bolt. A lug is provided on the rear su'rface'of the plate between the plate aperture and the curved lip. The lug'is provided with a threaded aperture extending therethrough between the aperture and the curved lip. The threaded aperture has its axis on a plane generally parallel to the surfaces of the plate and on a plane normal to these surfaces and at right angles to the edge of the plate aperture nearest the curved lip. An adjustment bolt extends through the lug and against the latch bolt, to hold the door tightly closed. The curved lip, which acts to cam the latch'bolt into retracted position as the door closes, is provided with an aperture which provides access to the adjustment bolt for adjusting the bolt while the plate is in place upon the door jamb.

This invention relates to an improvement in strike plates, and deals particularly with the type of strike plate which is used on door jambs and the like.

In my previous Patent 3,245,709 issued Apr. 12,- 1966, for Quick Adjusting Cushion Strike Plate, 1 disclosed a simple strike plate structure including a sheet metal plate in which a latch bolt opening was formed -by striking a portion of the body of the plate rearwardly and into an L-shaped form. An opening of rectangular form was formed through the L-shaped member adjoining the opening. The strike plate was provided with a curved lipdesigned to retract the latch bolt as the door was swung closed. A lip was struck from the curved lip of the plate and was drilled to accommodate an adjustment bolt. A T-shaped strike member was provided which extended at least partially through the L-shaped member on the rear of the strike plate. The adjustment bolt was threaded cen- 3,395,935 Patented Aug. 6, 1968 V A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an adjustable strike plate in which the latch bolt-receiving opening is somewhat larger than would be naturally used to accommodate the latch bolt. In attaching the strike plate to the jamb; the latch bolt opening is usually positioned to provide allowance in the event Weatherstripping is applied to the door jam b. If weatherstripping is applied, the strike plate is readily adjusted to compensate for the new position of the latch bolt, eliminating the removal of the strike plate fI'OllTl the jamb and eliminating the difliculty in providing a perfect adjustment after the strike plate has once been removed.

Y A further-feature of the present invention lies in the simplicity of construction and in the low cost of production.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision'of an adjustable strike 'plate which may be used to provide'a safety catch in the event the latch bolt is not fully inserted or is but partially withdrawn. An adjustable abutment is provided which is eng-agea-ble with the latch bolt to hold the door tightly closed. In the event the door is not completely closed, or in the event the latch bolt is partially removed, the latch bolt may engage against the side of the strike plate opening which thus serves as a safety catch.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention may be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the strike plate as it would appear in place upon a door jamb.

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the strike plate removed from the jamb.

rally into this T-shaped member axially of the stem of the T, and a spring was interposed between the cross-member of the T and the apertured lip to resiliently urge the T-shaped member toward the latch bolt opening. As a result, the stern of the T-shaped member was resiliently urged toward the latch bolt in closed position to permit a cushioned adjustment thereof.

While this previous structure has proven very effective, in some instances the resilient cushioning of the latch bolt has on some occasions proven undesirable. While the previous structure was inexpensive to produce, even a less expensive structure was found desirable in some instances. It is an object of the present invention to provide a strike late having the advantage of being simpler and less expensive than the previous structure above referred to.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a strike plate which may be adjusted easily and quickly without removing the plate from the door jamb. When the door has been closed and found not to fit snugly against the door jamb, adjustment may be simply made to correct this situation.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a strike plate of the type described which includes but one moving member. The adjustment of the strike plate is accomplished by merely moving a single threaded element into the desired adjusted position.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view horizontally through a portion of the door and jamb, the position of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of the strike plate shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 5 is a bottom perspective view form of strike plate.

The strike plate which is indicated in general by the letter A, is shown as attached to a door which is indicated in general by the letter B. The strike plate is attached to the door jamb which is indicated in general by the letter C. i

The strike plate A comprises merely a generally flat plate 10 having along one vertical edge a curved flange or lip 11. This lip 11 is curved outwardly away from the door and acts as a guide flange to cam the latch bolt inwardly when the door is shut with the latch bolt extended.

The plate 10 is provided with an aperture 12 the of a modified upper and lower edges 13 and 14 of which are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the vertical height of the latch bolt with which it is used. The forward and rear edges 15 and 16 of the aperture 12 are spaced apart a distance which is considerably greater than the horizontal width of a portion of the latch which engages thereinto. This greater size provides a latitude for adjustment in a manner which will be later described.

The plate 10 is provided with vertically spaced countersunk apertures 17 designed to accommodate threaded screws 19 or other suitable means for holding the strike plate A to the jamb C. The undersurface or rear surface of the plate 10 is provided with a lug 20 having an internally threaded passage 21 extending therethrough on an axis parallel to the upper and lower edges 13 and 14 of the aperture 12, and spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the plate 10, as is indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. An adjustment screw 22 is adjustably mounted in the threaded aperture 21. The curved lip or flange 11 of the plate 10 is provided with an aperture 23 3 in axially aligned relation to the threaded passage 21.. The screw 22 may be readily adjusted by means of a screwdriver or socket wrench inserted through the opening 23.

FIGURE 3 of the drawings illustrates the door B as including a latch bolt 24 which is axially movable through the opening in the strike plate. The latch bolt 24 has a curved or inclined edge 25 which is engageable with the lip or flange 11 to move the latch bolt inwardly, normally against the pressure of a suitable spring. In view of the fact that such latches are commonly known, the details of construction have not been indicated.

In attaching the strike plate A to the jamb C, a recess 26 is chiseled or routed into the surface of the jamb facing the door edge, the aperture being approximately the size of the aperture 12. A channel or groove 27 extends from the recess 26 to the outer surface 29 of the jamb C. The plate 10 is also preferably recessed into the surface 30 of the jamb, this recess being chiseled or rounted into the surface by the usual means. The plate receiving recess 31 preferably leaves the outer or exposed surface of the plate flush with the surface 30 of the jamb. As is usual practice, the jamb is provided with an abutment 32 against which the surface of the door may engage when fully closed.

The strike plate A is installed, preferably in such a position that the latch bolt extends freely into the aperture 12 when the door is closed. Normally the flat side 33 of the latch bolt will be in spaced relation to the edge 15 of the aperture 12, permitting the door to be spaced from the abutment 32. The strike plate is then adjusted by tightening the bolt 22 until the end of the bolt is against the flat face 33 of the bolt at which time the door will be tightly against the abutment 32.

If Weatherstrip is added to the jamb requiring an adjustment, this may be quickly and easily accomplished by adjustment of the screw or bolt 22. Furthermore, it will be noted that if the latch bolt is partially retracted, the forward edge 15 of the aperture 12 serves as a safety stop to prevent the complete opening of the door.

The axis of the adjustment bolt lies substantially on a plane parallel to the surfaces of the plate 10 and on a plane normal to said plate surfaces and at right angles to said straight aperture edge 15. As a result, this axis is normal to the flat surface 33 of the latch bolt 24.

In FIGURE 5 of the drawings, I disclose a slightly modified form of strike plate construction which is indicated in general by the letter D. In general, the strike plate is similar to the strike plate A including a flat plate portion 35 having a cam edge 36. A rectangular aperture 37 is provided for accommodating the end of the latch bolt, and screw-receiving apertures 39 are provided through which screws may be inserted to secure the strike plate in position.

In the present structure, in place of the threaded lug 20 I provide an integral tongue 40 which is bent into a generally U-shaped form. The tongue 40 is bent from CPI the material punched to provide the latch bolt opening 37. The tongue 40 includes an anchored portion 41 which is bent at substantially right angles to the edge 42 of the latch bolt opening and is integrally connected thereto. An intermediate portion 43 is bent toward the curved edge 36 parallel to the plate 35. The end portion 44 of the tongue 40 is bent into parallel relation to the anchored portion 41.

The threaded apertures, one of which is indicated at 45 extend through the side 41 and 44 of the tongue 40 to accommodate a set screw 46. This set screw 46 is adjusted by insertion of the proper tool through an aperture 47 in the curved edge 36. Thus the latch plate D differs from the strike plate A merely in the provision of an integral lug in place of the lug 20 which must be separately attached. As will be understood, the axis of the set screw 46 extends substantially parallel to the surface of the latch plate body 35.

In accordance with the Patent Ofiice statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in strike plate, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A quick adjusting strike plate comprising in combination a generally rectangular base plate, a curved flanged lip along one edge of said strike plate, said plate having a latch bolt receiving aperture therethrough having a straight edge parallel to said curved flanged lip and spaced therefrom, a lug on the inner surface of said plate between said curved flanged lip and said straight edge of said aperture, said lug threadedly accommodating an adjustment bolt extending therethrough on an axis substantially parallel to the surfaces of said base plate and on a plane normal to the surfaces of the base plate and intersecting said straight edge at right angles, said flanged lip having an aperture therethrough coaxial with said adjustment bolt and means on the end of said adjustment bolt adjacent said aperture engageable with a tool extending therethrough for turning said bolt.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said adjustment bolt is located to engage the central portion of a latch bolt inserted through. said latch bolt opening.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which an edge of said lug terminates adjacent said straight edge of said latch bolt aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,486,772 11/1949 Wuerl 292--341.18 2,650,848 9/1953 Garbs 292341.l8

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

E. J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner. 

